A long weekend in the sun :)

We had a wonderful May Bank Holiday weekend!  We started off with some gardening.. planting all the veggies and herbs that we are planning for this summer.  Spent a very enjoyable day pottering round the garden together doing this, and finishing off with a lovely long walk over the fields visiting the lambs and calves :)

Then we headed off to Glastonbury - I do love Glastonbury!  The weather was absolutely beautiful, blue skies with high fluffy clouds.  After our looong winter it seems like everything is in a rush to burst into leaf or bloom, Spring is happening at hyper-speed.  The colours were so intense I couldn't help taking lots of photos, I've picked some of my favourites to share here (there are quite a few :)

Walking along the lane leading to the tor

This might find its way into felt one day..

Still walking

Welcome refreshment!
There are 2 healing springs which come up only feet apart.. this is Chalice Well, and  is rich with iron
on the opposite side of the lane is the White Spring which is rich in calcite.  They taste very different and distinct from each other 

Lambs always look so cuddly :)

Letters carved in the stone of the tower on top of the tor..  makes me wonder who carved them and when?

Lovely lichen on the outside of the tower

So cool and shady inside the tower..  Outside a man sat strumming his guitar and singing, beautiful to hear and so perfect in this high and peaceful place

I found myself focusing on small details in stone and wood..

This bird and grapes is carved over a pub on the high street

Walking along the High Street we heard many musicians.. harpists, guitar and flute.. people dancing.  Wonderful.. free spirited..

We ended our visit in Glastonbury Abbey.. now in all the years we have been going to Glastonbury, and even had family living close by, we have never been in before.  I am so glad we did, it was lovely!  Made even more so by the weather of course, we explored the ruins and meandered around the grounds for hours (which were absolutely beautiful!)

Inside St. Patrick's Chapel

So high..

Gary spotted ammonites in the stone

The Abbotts Kitchen
This is the strangest kitchen I have EVER seen, the next 3 pics are from inside

Roof beams.. there is something quite yurtish about them.  

Massive fireplaces in each corner (plus bread ovens in the side walls)

Huge chimneys in each corner above the fireplaces..

This was soooo high

Right at the top, and on the other side..

See how tiny the people inside it are?

An idea of size.  Gary and the kids are sitting in the middle of this wall.  The information says that these three window bays are all that remain of a run of 9 window bays..  it must of seemed IMMENSE back in the day.  Can you imagine being a medieval peasant living in a tiny cottage not much taller than your own head and encountering a stone giant like this..? 

Willow woman in the grounds

The torr just visible on the rise above the trees

So many majestic trees..

The Holy Thorn

Excavated shell palattes used to mix pigments for illuminated texts, found with pigment still in - that blue has kept its' colour beautifully

13th century wooden door

You can see where the nails were bent over on the back. I love things like this..  These nails were hammered in and bent over by a carpenter 800 odd years ago..

This funny fella was in the museum area.. :)  Isn't he great

I love going to Glastonbury, it has good energy.  I've come back all fired up and enthusiastic.. like my creative battery has been recharged - or maybe the nice weather just burned off the winter gloom :)  Whatever it is.. it feels good.